Based upon the structure-conduct-performance approach the present paper analyses determinants of price-cost-margins over the business cycle for food industries in Germany, the USA as well as the Netherlands. Controlling for market structure variables, cyclical fluctuations in profitability are...

We investigate the impact of decentralised decision making on product quality. Comparing a cooperative (decentralized decision making) and a firm (centralized decision making) suggests that members of the cooperative have an incentive to produce too much and to free-ride on quality. Free-riding...

We analyse the flexibility decision of firms in a two-stage duopoly game of complete information and test the models implications using panel data of U.S. food industries. We find a positive relationship between flexibility and market power. Flexibility in food manufacturing industries is...

This paper extends previous research (Pufahl and Weiss, 2009) and applies a semi-parametric propensity score matching approach to evaluate the effects of agrienvironment (AE) programs on input use and farm output of individual farms in eight Member States of the European Union. We find...

The present paper investigates the free-riding problem in determining product quality within cooperatives in a vertically related market. Whereas the individual member has to bear all costs associated with higher quality, the benefits of delivering higher quality have to be shared among all...

Based upon the structure-conduct-performance approach the present paper analyses determinants of price-cost-margins over the business cycle for food industries in Germany, the USA as well as the Netherlands. Controlling for market structure variables, cyclical fluctuations in profitability are...

Mergers and acquisitions substantially affect the structure of the German food industry. This study analyses changes in the number of mergers and acquisitions for 21 German industries between 1976 and 1994. The results of an econometric panel data analysis show (a) a high degree of persistence,...